Sicily and Calabria infrastructure plan targets €60 billion investment

A major infrastructure plan involving 60 billion euros is set to transform the Mezzogiorno region through strategic investments in Sicily and Calabria. A central component of this program is the construction of the Strait of Messina Bridge, intended to connect Sicily to European high-speed corridors.

Within this broader plan, a 12.7 billion euro railway modernization project led by Italferr aims to overhaul the Palermo–Catania–Messina connection. The project is designed to significantly reduce travel times, such as cutting the Palermo-to-Catania journey from three hours to two. The initiative is expected to create approximately 8,000 jobs and involve over 600 companies.

Digital engineering technologies, including Bentley Systems’ ProjectWise, are being utilized to manage the project's complexity. These tools have helped coordinate thousands of information models and resolve design conflicts before construction, aiming to improve efficiency and sustainability in regional transportation.